This trip was a long held dream, to see NZ’s own back yard and it delivered. The jet boat ride to kick off was fabulous, stopping here and there on the river for a bit of information from our skipper, after a safety briefing before going onto the river. Our two female bus drivers were competent, engaging, informative and friendly, as were ALL of the staff, I could not find one fault with this trip, from start to finish. We did the River Run which was perfect for a day adventure. Ploughman’s lunch was fresh, homely and plentiful. On the Railcarts our guide stopped at points of interest to go over where we were, what we were seeing and general information, including historical, which was so good, I learnt things about our history I never knew. The short walk around the ghost town of Ohura was special to me, having been born there but had never returned. So sad to see the once thriving town now virtually empty. If you want to see the real NZ countryside, learn a bit about NZ you didn’t know, (even if you are a born and bred Kiwi like myself), you must do this. I have travelled around the world and this trip was a standout amongst anything overseas has to offer.